THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL AND THE
GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST.

COME, take up your hats, and away let us haste
To the Butterfly's ball and the Grasshopper's feast;
The trumpeter Gad-fly has summoned the crew,
And the revels are now only waiting for you.

On the smooth-shaven grass, by the side of a wood,
Beneath a broad oak, that for ages has stood,
See the children of earth and the tenants of air,
For an evening's amusement together repair.

And there came the Beetle, so blind and so black,
Who carried the Emmet, his friend, on his back;
And there came the Gnat, and the Dragon-fly too,
And all their relations, green, orange, and blue.

And there came the Moth, with her plumage of down,

And the Hornet, with jacket of yellow and brown, Who with him the Wasp his companion did bring; But they promised that evening to lay by their sting.

Then the sly little Dormouse crept out of his hole, And led to the feast his blind cousin, the Mole; And the Snail, with her horns peeping out from her shell,

Came fatigued with the distance the length of an ell.

BUTTERFLY'S BALL AND GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST. 57

A mushroom the table, and on it was laid

A water-dock leaf, which their table-cloth made; The viands were various, to each of their taste, And the Bee brought the honey to sweeten the feast.

There, close on his haunches, so solemn and wise, The Frog from a corner looked up to the skies; And the Squirrel, well pleased such diversion to

see,

Sat cracking his nuts overhead in the tree.

Then out came the Spider, with fingers so fine,
To show his dexterity on the tight line;
From one branch to another his cobweb he slung,
Then as quick as an arrow he darted along.

But just in the middle, oh! shocking to tell!
From his rope in an instant poor Harlequin fell;
Yet he touched not the ground, but with talons
outspread,

Hung suspended in air at the end of a thread.

Then the Grasshopper came, with a jerk and a spring;

Very long was his leg, though but short was his wing;

He took but three leaps, and was soon out of sight, Then he chirped his own praises the rest of the night.

With steps more majestic, the Snail did advance, And promised the gazers a minuet to dance;

But they all laughed so loud, that he drew in his head,

And went in his own little chamber to bed.

Then as evening gave way to the shadows of night Their watchman, the Glowworm, came out with his light;

Then home let us hasten, while yet we can see,
For no watchman is waiting for you or for me.

THE FOX.

TALLY-HO! Tally-ho!'-away go the huntsmen and hounds, over hill and dale, in full cry. What a sight it is! The dogs have scented a fox, and they, as well as the riders, have entered into the excitement of the chase. There, too, is the whipper-in. How well he manages to keep the splendid hounds together. "Tally-ho! Tally-ho!' away they go, until the gay scarlet coats of the huntsmen are lost to view. Sly Reynard will give them a long run, and many will be the cunning tricks he will resort to before he is caught; for he knows the most secret hiding-places in the thick brushwood, and these he will do his best to reach. Fox-hunt

ing is considered fine sport, and was as much enjoyed in olden times as it is at the present day. The great cunning and swiftness of the fox render it no easy matter to overtake him; and were it not for the very fine sense of smell possessed by fox-hounds, it is certain his track would soon be

lost, and our sly friend would escape. He is regarded as the most mischievous and dishonest rogue of all four-footed animals, and many are the curious and amusing anecdotes and fables about the fox.

The fox is found in all the northern countries of the world. In England he is generally preserved for the sport of hunting, but in many countries this is not the case, traps and other means of capturing him being employed. He bears a strong resemblance to the sheep-dog, and is about as large as a middle-sized one. His hair is of a yellowish red colour, though in some countries foxes are found which are grey, white, and even black. He has a long bushy tail, called his brush, which is cut off after he is caught, and is hung by the huntsman who obtains it at the bow of his saddle, to be thus carried home as a sign of a successful day's sport.

The home, or den, of the fox is mostly in a hole underground. He is so sly that he always avoids open fields by daylight; but by night no fowls, chickens, geese, ducks, pigeons, or anything else in the shape of poultry, are safe from his attacks, unless well guarded and under cover. Hares and rabbits, eggs and milk, butter and cheese, are some of the good things which he devours with a relish. Ah! and how much he enjoys honey, to obtain which he robs the bees of their store, not caring the least for their stings, which they take care to make good use of on such occasions. Of his fond

ness for nice ripe grapes every one has heard, and most boys and girls know the fable of the Fox and the Grapes.' But sometimes he is obliged to content himself with rats and mice, serpents, lizards, and toads.

The fox does not always make his own dwelling, but prefers instead to drive badgers, rabbits, and other animals out of their snug retreats, which he adapts for the use of himself, his wife, and young cubs. Of the latter he usually has from four to six, which, when a few weeks old, he feeds upon fowls, pigeons, cheese, and any other titbits he can steal from the neighbouring farmers. As soon as the cubs are big enough, they go out in company with their parents to plunder and rob, at which in a short time they become expert. Foxes like best to live close to villages, and as near as they can, with safety to themselves, to farmhouses; and I have no doubt that some of the most pleasant sounds to Mr. and Mrs. Fox are the quacking of the ducks, the cackling of the hens, and the crowing of the cocks.

It is only during the night that this animal goes out on his errands of robbery and murder. He makes himself thoroughly acquainted with the neighbourhood in which he dwells, prowling about the farms and retired houses, but taking care to avoid all those where he hears the barking of dogs. He searches out the spots where any poultry is housed, and examines the hedges and walls in order to discover where he can most easily creep through